My Other Half
by Jacque Nicole
Summary: HPSM. He was hunting when he found her: an abandoned infant near death. He and wife raised her with their own son, Endymion. She was a muggle, or so they thought until she got her letter from Hogwarts. They called her Serenity, but who was she really?
1. Prologue

_**Disclaimer:** I have not and never will claim ownership of Sailor Moon or Harry Potter. Sailor Moon and all its elements and characters belong to Naoko Takeuchi and any other intermediate parties. Harry Potter and all its elements and characters belong to J.K. Rowling and any other intermediate parties.

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_**My Other Half**_

**Prologue**

**By Jacque Nicole

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A lone figure stood impatiently in front of an old abandoned building at the corner where two streets intersected. The navy robed figure seemed to be constantly switching feet on which he stood, anxiously awaiting his companion's arrival. He gazed up and down each street, feeling his patience slipping away from his grasp, but he held it tightly; today was a day for the entire world to celebrate.

Suddenly, with a loud crack and an abrupt flash of light, the Knight Bus appeared before the man. The door slid open and the sounds of festivity filled the air. Another figure, clad in a violet cloak, ran off the bus. She embraced the man with all her might and he returned the gesture.

She took a step back, vaguely remembering when the bus left to drop off another passenger. "So?"

The man looked at her and teasingly implored, "So, what?"

She hit him on the shoulder. "Is it true?" He still stared at her, humor in his eyes. Sighing in frustration, she continued. "Is You-Know-Who really gone?"

The man smiled. "As a matter of fact, yes. Today marks the day of He-Who-Shall-Not- Be-Named's downfall! Today, we celebrate." He gently brushed his lips against hers suggestively.

The woman pushed him away. Looking her crony in the eye she asked, "And what of the boy?"

He sighed. "It is rumored that he will stay with the only family he has left."

"Shane, do you mean he is to stay with… with…" She could barely get the word to pass her lips. "Muggles?" she finally spat.

Shane nodded sadly.

"This is an outrage! What the hell is Dumbledore _thinking_?"

"Think about it, Contessa," said Shane. "If he gives the boy to anyone else, he will be showered in popularity and special treatment."

"As he should be! He saved what's left of our world!"

Sadly, the man shook his head. "No," he said. "He is too young."

The woman covered her lightly freckled face in distress. '_This is a disaster,'_ she thought to herself. '_The savior of the wizarding world damned to the life of a muggle. He has no hope.'_ Suddenly, her head snapped up, turquoise eyes searching her partner's own green ones. "But Shane," she whispered, "What about the girl? Is she to live among the muggles as well?"

Shane sighed deeply, knowing this question was coming. "That, my dear," he told her, "Is still a mystery. We were unable to find her. We think that maybe she…" He slowly swiped his finger across his neck.

Contessa nodded her head. "I understand. I wish her and the boy luck. May God bless the boy and girl who lived."

**XOXOXOXOX**

"I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall," said an elderly man to a rather severe-looking woman. McGonagall nodded to Dumbledore before blowing her nose.

Dumbledore walked down the street, and with one click of his Put-Outer, all twelve street lamps along Privet Drive regained their fluorescence. As he turned around, he could just make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the end of the road. He could barely see the bundle of blankets on the steps of Number Four.

"Good luck, Harry," he whispered, and with the swish of his cloak, he was gone.

**XOXOXOXOX**

He sped through the forest, not yet quite certain of his destination. At times—times like these—he felt too confined in the small space provided by the tiny cottage he lived in with his wife and their son.

People of his race were never meant to live in small, confined spaces, after all.

As his pace reached inhuman speeds, he began to fall deep into thought.

Today marked the downfall of He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named. Being what he was, he should probably consider going into hiding. Others like him might begin to search for him if he did not join them to assist the fallen lord.

They'd definitely become suspicious when he'd refuse to help them.

So he decided, then and there, that he would take his family and move them to a more secure place, just to be on the safe side.

Suddenly, his nostrils flared as a faint scent permeated the air. He quickly changed his direction, following the intoxicating smell as the familiar feeling of bloodlust overtook his senses. In no time, he found himself very near his prey, his incisors lengthening in his mouth in anticipation for the feed.

The doe had no chance.

Noiselessly, he pounced on the creature, his elongated teeth sinking deeply into its neck. The deer bucked a little, but he held it steadfast, the animal locked on his jaw like a baby on a bottle. He drank deeply, the blood of the doe fully clearing the hazy bloodlust from his mind.

Suddenly, he snapped his head up, the creature still clutched in his arms. He focused on his superhuman hearing. _'Hmm,'_ he thought to himself. '_I could have sworn I heard—'_ Then he heard it again. It was very faint, but it was definitely there.

A baby was crying somewhere in the distance.

Carefully, he set the doe on its feet and let the slightly wounded creature run free before instinctively running in the direction of the noise.

In seconds, he came to a small clearing at the edge of the forest near the muggle village, and in the middle of it was a baby—whom he presumed was a girl, judging from the pink blankets in which she was wrapped. She was obviously freezing to death, the blue hue of her skin and the constant shiver of her body tell tale signs of hypothermia. Immediately he was at her side, using friction from the blanket to get her warmer, knowing that his almost nonexistent body warmth wouldn't help her in the least.

As he rubbed the pink blankets up and down her bare body—he knew now that she definitely _was_ a female—a small sheet of paper fell out of its folds. His arm snatched it out of the wind—like a frog catching a fly—before it blew away.

In the dim moonlight, he could just make out the words the messy scrawl spelled out.

_Care for her._

He crumpled the paper and tucked it into the pocket of his slacks. Whoever left this child here had obviously expected one of the muggles from the village to find her and raise her. _'They obviously didn't know how stupid and oblivious muggles could be,'_ he thought to himself. If he had never found her, she would have surely died.

He looked down at the crying infant and felt himself getting angry. _'Who could leave something as precious as a child alone like this?'_ He rubbed her slightly faster.

Suddenly, her cries died down. Worried that something was wrong with her, he looked down at her, only to find her looking up, directly at him.

They made eye contact. Before he could stop himself, he found himself giving her a wide smile. He must have been quite a frightening sight with his slightly bloodstained teeth, fangs, pale skin, and glowing eyes, but one wouldn't have been able to tell it from the way she was smiling back at him.

She seemed so peaceful and happy, now that she wasn't crying anymore. He decided for a name for her at that moment—something that would forever be a reminder to him of the day that he'd found her.

_Serenity._

As he ran toward his cottage deep within the forest, Serenity clutched gently in his embrace, he wondered to himself how he would explain this addition to their family to his wife.

It was going to be a long night.

…**_End Prologue…_**

Number of Words: 1,283

_Posted: August 19, 2006_

_Edited: December 28, 2006_


	2. Chapter 1

**AN: **Ten Guidelines for Dating Earth Boys will be updated eventually. I'm having hardcore writer's block with that, which is why I decided to update this.

Anyway, here's an early Christmas present for whoever reads this. XD Enjoy, and please review.

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_**My Other Half**_

**Chapter 1**

**By Jacque Nicole

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_Serena wandered around the dimly lit room in confusion. 'Where am I?' she thought to herself. Somewhere, in the back of her mind, she knew she had seen this place before, but she could not remember exactly when. _

She rounded the corner, catching a glimpse of red hair. 'Rose?' she wondered to herself, but, somehow, she knew it wasn't her best friend's mother.

As she approached the woman, she noticed that she was leaning over two cribs, a man with jet-black hair right beside her. She could hear them making 'goo goo' noises directed toward the blue and pink bassinets. From her position at the doorway, she could see the woman shaking a rattle. 'They must have beautiful children,' Serena thought to herself. She was itching to go over and see the babies but she didn't want to risk being seen.

The sound of a door creaking open interrupted her thoughts. She felt a cold chill shiver down her spine. Something wasn't right.

It all happened so fast; it was like a blur. Serena saw a figure garbed in a black hooded cloak, a wand clutched in its boney hand. She immediately worried for the family's welfare. Somehow, she knew the man was not welcome in the household. Several other black-robed figures followed the man who seemed to be in charge.

_Immediately, the room went into an uproar. _

The red headed woman deftly took out her own wand and shouted a spell. A flash of light sped toward a man, but he managed to slide out of the way, causing the man standing behind him to be hit by the attack. She stood by the two cribs, trying desperately to protect her children.

Meanwhile, the man with the black hair—who Serena guessed was the children's father—was taking down as many men as he could as swiftly as possible. Suddenly, an eerie green light shot from the leader's wand. He had shouted the most unforgivable of the three unforgivable curses, Avada Kedavra.

_The light hit the father soundlessly. Serena looked on in fear, feeling that she knew the ebony haired man. His eyes went blank as he fell to the ground. A crash from the other side of the room caused the girl to tear her eyes away from the sorrowful scene. _

The mother was vainly trying to keep the horrible men away. Serena watched closely as a black-robed figure swept behind the woman discreetly. She saw him scoop up one of the children—the girl, Serena noticed—and leave the scene completely.

_Then she heard it again— 'Avada Kedavra'— in the same cold voice as before. Just like her husband, the woman dropped to the floor, undeniably dead. _

The leader—'Killer!' Serena thought ferociously—approached the blue crib with the same stoic expression upon his face. 'He wouldn't dare…' the girl thought to herself in dread as she watched him raise his wand and say the same, chilling words: 'Avada Kedavra.' The green light shot from the wand and headed towards the baby boy. Serena felt her heart shatter as it got closer and closer to the child when suddenly…

Serena woke up in a cold sweat, tangled in her pink bed sheets. "That's the forth time I've had that dream," she said breathlessly. It was weird. She felt so connected to the family in her dream, especially the boy. Why was that?

She rolled over in her bed; a sliver of the sun's evening light catching her directly in her tired eyes. Sighing, she walked over to her little window and pulled back her curtains just in time to see a bat fly past, no doubt in search of food.

Normally, Serena would still be asleep at this time because her father, being a vampire, was nocturnal. It became easier for the whole family to sleep during the day and to be awake at night, but her dream made falling back to sleep anytime soon nearly impossible. She decided, instead, to take a walk to clear her clouded mind.

Serena grabbed her pink robe and headed into the hallway, fully intending to go outside for an evening stroll, until she came laid eyes on the door just across the hall from hers. She stopped in front of it and lightly knocked, silently hoping that the room's resident was awake. A disheveled looking boy with black hair and eyes as blue as the ocean greeted her.

"Huh?" he mumbled, tiredly leaning his body on the doorframe.

Serena blushed deeply. Did he know that he was only wearing his boxers? "Oh, I'm sorry Darien," she whispered. "Did I wake you up?"

His bleary eyes sprung open at the sound of her voice. "Oh no," he assured her. "I was already awake. I'm just really tired."

"Then I'll come back later," she replied, turning to leave him to his rest. He grabbed her arm as quickly as lightening.

"No, that won't be necessary," he said as he pulled her into his room.

His walls were bare. The only window in the room was covered with thick dark curtains that didn't allow any sunlight to seep through. His bed was already made and his floor was clean. His room was the exact opposite of hers.

Serena watched her best friend as he sauntered over to his shelves and took a small bottle off of one. He quickly downed its contents and sat next to her on his bed.

She squirmed nervously and began to twiddle her fingers together. Did he seriously not notice that he was only wearing his _boxers?_ "Do you ever get tired of taking your medicine?" she asked him, attempting to keep her preteen mind off of her best friend's state of undress.

"No, not really," he replied nonchalantly. "Without it, you'd probably be dead right now," he joked with a smile. Serena didn't think it was very funny.

"You wouldn't!" she squeaked.

"I'd try not to; you know that. But I really don't want to find out if I really would attack you or not."

"Can't you control your vampire urges?"

He paused, unsure of how to answer her question. "Maybe, but I don't ever want to take a chance like that. I've never gone long without my meds," he answered thoughtfully.

Serena nodded in understanding. Darien's father, Damien, was a full fledged vampire. He was made into one sometime during his teens, but Serena didn't know exactly when. Every time she'd ask him any question concerning his age he would always tell her that he had lived longer than she could comprehend. He was probably telling her the truth.

Every night, Damien had to go off to feed. Darien, on the other hand, was spared this desire—along with a few others, such as the sunlight allergy—due to a medication created by his very intelligent mother. Rose had discovered a way to stop the vampiric bloodlust, but when they tested it on Damien it hadn't worked Its effects were perfect for Darien, though, most likely because he was only half vampire. Darien's other half—Rose's side—consisted of an ancestry of witches and warlocks, which explained Rose's affinity for different potions and medications.

Darien noticed his best friend's attention wandering and decided to change the subject. "So, what brings you over here so early?"

Serena shrugged. "I just wanted to see you," she lied. The last thing she wanted to do was worry Darien.

He chuckled. "Liar, liar, pants on fire," he teased as he sat next to her on his satiny bed. "It was that dream again, wasn't it?"

She sighed, stretching out on his bed. "How did you know?"

"Sere, you should know by now that you can't hide anything from me. It's written all over your face."

She stuck her tongue out and blew him a raspberry. He just ignored her display. Serena wasn't surprised at his nonchalance, however. Darien was always much more mature than the regular eleven year old would be.

"You should tell Father about this, you know," he told her.

She was appalled. "Are you crazy? He would totally overreact! I don't want him to worry about me more than he already does."

Serena was right. For as long as Darien could remember, his father had been very protective of Serena. When she was an infant, Damien had found her in the forest and brought her home, barely alive. He'd nursed her back to health—with a lot of help from Darien's medically savvy mother—but ever since then she was never one hundred percent healthy. Damien had always wanted to know if something was bothering Serena, not only because she fell ill easier than the average child, but also because he cared for her very much. Darien felt the same way.

"He only worries about you because he loves you, Sere," Darien reasoned.

Serena pouted. "How many times have I heard _that_ line before?" she said as she headed toward Darien's door.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked.

"Outside," she replied. "I want to go for a walk."

Darien shook his head. "I don't think so, Sere. It's pretty cold outside, and you just got well from the _last_ time you decided you wanted to take a walk…"

"Oh, come on, Darien!" Serena whined. "How am I supposed to have any fun if you keep me locked up in this stupid house all night, huh?"

"Serena, we wouldn't have to keep you _inside_ if you would just keep your damn coat on when you go _outside_!" he nearly shouted. Serena wasn't even fazed, having been the victim of Darien's very short temper for her entire life. His short fuse was definitely an asset Darien gained from his father. It was common knowledge that vampires were easily angered, which was probably one of the reasons why the wizarding society never accepted them. The fact that they literally had to suck the life out of others to survive didn't help, though.

"Listen, Mr. Grumpy. I'm going outside, whether you like it or not. Now, you can either join me on my walk or you can sit in your room all alone. What do you want to do?"

"You're a brat, you know that?" he said to her, even as he was grabbing his jacket to take outside with him.

After some forceful coercing, Darien finally convinced Serena to put on warmer clothing. When she was finished, the pair quietly made their way through the house, trying not to wake their parents.

"Where were you thinking of walking?" asked Darien as he silently closed the front door behind them.

Serena shrugged. "I didn't get that far in my plans."

Darien sighed. "You mean to tell me that you were thinking of coming outside _in your pajamas_ and you had _no_ destination in mind?"

She shrugged again. "Yeah. And?" she questioned calmly.

"Serena…" Darien glowered.

"You know what?" said the bouncy blond, hooking arms with her companion. "You take everything too seriously."

"Serena," he replied tersely, "I don't think you take anything seriously _enough_."

"Blah, blah, blah," she mocked. "You've made your point. Want to go to the lake?"

Although he was a little reluctant to change the topic so suddenly, Darien gave in. "Fine."

So the duo began to walk on the well worn path to the lake in silence.

Their cottage was located in the middle of a forest with no sign of other human beings for miles. They depended on their father to provide them with all of the supplies they ever needed since he was the only one of them capable of reaching civilization in a short amount of time. Because of this, neither Darien nor Serena could remember seeing other human beings outside their family. The only other people Serena could recall are those in her reoccurring dream. Perhaps that was what made her feel so close to them every time she had the vision.

_Perhaps…_

After a few short minutes of walking through the woods, Serena and Darien finally found themselves at their lake. It was their special spot; their place to go if they just wanted to get away for a little while and be to themselves.

Serena yawned and stretched, making her way over to her favorite log. She plopped down on it and leaned back, resting her head on the hard bark.

"Are you tired?" she heard Darien say. "Because if you are, we can go back home."

She sat up. "I am _not_ tired, _Endymion_," she retorted indignantly, calling her best friend by his birth name. "I just wanted to relax. Is that okay with you?"

"That's just fine with me, _Serenity._"

Serena stuck her tongue out at her best friend before lying down on the log again. Since they were so far away from civilization, it was not uncommon for the evening sky to twinkle with some stars before the sun had even fully set. Today was no exception.

"Oh Dare, look at the stars…" she said.

"I don't want to look at the stars," he snapped back.

"You don't have to be such a grump about it," replied the blonde. "Besides—" Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, Serena spotted a pair of birds flying through the sky. They were far away, so she could not tell whether they were flying to or away from the lake.

"Besides what," Darien urged.

"Hey Dare," said Serena, eyes transfixed on the two lone birds. "Don't birds usually fly in flocks this time of year?"

"Depends on what type of bird they are," he responded. "Why do you care?"

"Well, Mr. Smarty-Pants, there happens to be a pair of birds flying over there," she said, pointing into the distance, "And I just thought it was odd."

Darien turned to look in the direction his friend was pointing and spotted the mysterious birds. "Hmm…" he mumbled to himself.

"Oh, no you don't. What are you 'hmm'-ing about?" she said, turning toward him.

"Well, it's just strange," he muttered.

"What's strange?" Serena asked curiously.

"Those are owls."

Serena stared into the distance. She couldn't tell what kind of birds they were. _'Stupid Darien with his stupid vampire sight,' _she thought.

"Isn't it a little too early for owls to be out?"

"Yeah. That's why I'm surprised that they're out at this time of day." He glanced at the horizon again. "Those owls are coming in fast. I wonder why they're in a rush."

Suddenly, the pair heard rustling from within the forest. They looked at each other nervously, and Serena unconsciously made her way closer to Darien.

A figure in a hooded black cloak came into view, it's face half-obsured by shadows. It slowly began to walk toward the frightened preteens. "I've been looking for you…" a deep voice rumbled.

"Damien!" a high pitched voice called from behind Serena and Darien. "Don't scare the children like that. You'll give them heart attacks—poor things."

"Oh, come on, Rosie," said the figure, lifting its head up. The shadows disappeared and the loving face of Serena and Darien's father, Damien, appeared. "I think they can take a joke."

"Mommy! Daddy! Good evening," exclaimed the blond, running from one parent to the other with hugs.

"Good evening my dear," greeting Damien as he engulfed the girl in a hug. "And what, may I ask, are you doing outside, Serenity? I do believe I told you specifically that you were not allowed outdoors until I was perfectly sure you were healthy enough."

Serena shrank away, knowing full well that she'd broken a rule. "Well I… We…" She desperately looked at her best friend for help.

"Father," said Darien, sensing Serena's desire for assistance, "isn't it a little too early for _you_ to be out?"

"That's my Darien," boasted Rose, pulling her auburn hair out of her face. "Always so attentive. You know, you've been like that since you were a baby, honey."

Darien rolled his eyes tiredly. "I _know_ that, Mother. You've told me a couple of hundred times. But Father—"

"Don't worry about it, son," said Damien, redirecting his attention to his son rather than Serena. She sighed in relief. "Your mother created this cloak for me the other night," he continued. "It allows zero percent of the sun's harmful rays to get to me. I'm not going to walk outside in the middle of the day in July expecting this thing to help me, but in situations like these, it's quite useful."

"That's remarkable, Mother!" exclaimed Darien to Rose, but when he looked over toward her, her eyes were transfixed on the sky.

And those peculiar owls.

"Mother," Darien said slowly, "you know something about those birds, don't you?"

"Maybe," she answered vaguely as the two owls flew directly toward the group. They swooped down, and as Rose extended her thin arms they both landed on one. Rose paused, studying the birds' appearances. After a minute of inspection, she sighed happily and said, to Serena and Darien's utmost confusion, "Hello, dear brother."

…_**End Chapter One…

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Word Count: 2,848

_Posted: December 23, 2006  
__Edited: December 23, 2006_


	3. Chapter 2

_**My Other Half**_

**Chapter 2**

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Neither Darien nor Serena had time to express their confusion about what Rose had said before the situation became even more peculiar than it already was. Suddenly, the birds began to act very strangely. The larger one, the male, Darien suspected, began to ruffle its wings before dismounting from Rose's outstretched arm. The smaller bird, the female, left Darien's mother's side as well, finding a nearby log to perch on instead. Both birds held their wings out to their full wing spans. What followed was the most amazing event that both Darien and Serena had ever seen in their lives.

Both birds began to change. Their feathery wings slowly morphed shape, becoming long human arms. Their little owl torsos soon became larger human trunks and their dangerous talons became shoes. Their sweet, passive owl faces took on the look of a human's facade.

The full body transformation happened simultaneously. The two preteens wondered if what they had just witnessed had actually happened or if it was just a strange, bizarre trick of the light—but they knew the real truth. They had just witnessed a pair of owls turn into a pair of humans, but, for some reason, it did not cause either of them to become overwhelmed by hysterics. As a matter of fact, the duo was more intrigued than frightened.

Serena watched and studied the newcomers closely. Her eyes were immediately attracted to the woman first. She was sitting on a log near Rose; her head raised high with her back held at an impossibly straight posture. Her legs were crossed in front of her with her hands neatly folded on her knee. Despite the woman's rigid posture, her face was one of the nicest ones she had ever seen—which wasn't many really, considering Serena had never met anyone outside of her family. Perhaps that was the reason why Serena was as intrigued with the strangers as she was. They were, after all, the first exposure to the outside world that she'd ever had, not including her reoccurring dream.

After examining the woman, Serena's eyes darted toward the man. He stood in the middle of the group, his arms crossed in a confident manner with a charming smile on his lips. Errant strands of his red hair fell into the man's eyes, reminding Serena of the way Darien's hair would do the same thing. His hazel eyes looked the group over. Serena couldn't help but notice that a line of freckles was sprinkled over his nose, just like they were on Rose's face.

"Oh, Brother," Rose sighed happily as she enveloped the red haired man in a hug, almost knocking him over in its intensity.

"Oh, Little Rosie," said the man in a deep, rich voice as he held Rose close. "How I have missed you."

"Hello, Shane," said Damien, approaching the man. The red headed man—Shane—released his sister to extend a hand to his brother-in-law.

"Damien. It's a pleasure to see you again. You both remember my wife, Contessa?"

Rose gasped in shock. "Wife? You're married?!?" She made her way over to the woman on the log and ignored her offer of a handshake, choosing to give her a hug instead. "Contessa! Of course I remember you. Welcome to the family, my dear."

"Well, thank you, Rose," the soft spoken woman responded in a slightly squeaky voice. "Actually, I've been apart of the family for quite some time now."

"What?!" Rose pulled away and turned to her older brother. "Has it really been that long since I last saw you both? Shane, when did you get married?"

Shane opened his mouth to answer her question but was interrupted by Darien who was becoming more and more irritated by his confusion. "Pardon me, but I sure would love to know what the hell is going on; if it isn't too much to ask."

Shane turned his attention to Darien, who was beginning to look more and more pissed off. "Oh, and this must be Endymion, or Darien more affectionately." He turned his questioning eyes to his sister. "That _is_ what you wanted to name him, isn't it Rosie?"

"Yea, I'm Darien," the teen interrupted. "And you are?"

"We've never met, unfortunately. The last time I saw you was in an ultrasound image and you were still in my sister's womb. But even if I had never seen you before, I would still be able to tell who you're parents were. You've got your mother's outspokenness and your father's abrasiveness."

Darien's face reddened. Whether if was in anger or embarrassment, Serena couldn't tell. "Who the hell are you to—"

"Darien," Shane interrupted. "I thought it was obvious. I'm your uncle."

Darien had surmounted as much, but it still was shocking to hear the words being said out loud. He never considered the possibility of having family outside the only loved ones he had known for his whole life. And now, in only a matter of a few minutes, he'd acquired an aunt and an uncle.

Shane smiled at Darien's speechlessness. Unlike him, Darien wasn't given years to prepare for this encounter. He let his eyes flit over to the other child watching him with an apt interest. He had known that his sister had raised more than one child since he had last seen her twelve years ago, but the appearance of this other child sent an unexplained jolt through Shane. Something about her was special.

"And you must be Serenity," he said with a smile.

"How do you know my name?" Serena asked. "You have never met me before."

"Yes, Shane," Damien interjected. "How _do_ you know her name?"

"Damien, what do you mean? I know her name for the same reason why I was aware of Darien's." Shane reached down into a pocket in the long robe he was wearing and pulled out two envelopes. "Here," he said, handing the envelopes to the children. "These are for you."

Darien and Serena looked at each other with wary expressions before accepting the envelopes from Shane.

"Relax," said Shane. "You both should not be afraid of your uncle, especially because I have come with good news for the both of you. Open the letters."

Serena's eyes skimmed over the envelope.

**Ms. S. Shields  
****Last Room on the Left  
****A Cottage  
****Somewhere in the Forest**

When she looked up from the peculiar address she saw Darien already tearing the envelope open and reading the letter inside. She hurriedly followed suit. She ripped open the envelope, her blood swimming in curiosity and pulled out the letter.

**HOGWARTS SCHOOL **_**of **_**WITCHCRAFT **_**and**_** WIZARDRY**

**Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE**

_**(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwumb, International Confed. of Wizards)**_

**Dear Ms. Shields,**

**We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. **

**Term begins on September 1. We await you're owl by not later than July 31. **

**Yours sincerely,**

**Minerva McGonagall  
**_**Deputy Headmistress**_

Serena has barely finished reading the last word of the letter before it was snatched out of her hands. "Hey!" Serena exclaimed in shock.

"This doesn't make any sense," Damien said, ignoring his daughter's slight protest. "Shane, you shouldn't know her name."

"What do you mean," asked Shane. "It's right there on the letter."

"Yes, I can see that," replied Damien, his voice carrying a hint of impatience. "Shane, Serenity wasn't supposed to get a letter at all. We adopted her. She's a muggle."

Shane stared at Damien blankly. "Well I guess that explains why she doesn't look like either of you," he joked. "And I _did _think it was odd that you had two children entering Hogwarts at the same time who weren't twins." When he saw the serious look on Damien's face, he quickly sobered up. "Well, obviously this is an interesting turn of events."

Rose nodded in agreement. "It's very strange," she said as she read Serena's letter from her husband's side. "Maybe there was some sort of mistake at the ministry?"

Shane shook his head. "The ministry doesn't make mistakes like this."

"Maybe she's a special case," said Contessa from her position on the log. "She must be a muggle-born witch."

"Excuse me." For the first time during the while ordeal, Serena spoke up. "I'm kind of confused. What's going on?"

Damien and Rose looked each other in the eyes before turning their attention toward their curious daughter and son. "Let's take this discussion inside," said Rose. "Perhaps we'll be able to clear some things up."

Darien had always known that one day he would get his letter from Hogwarts. He had always known that someday he would have to leave his best friend behind and enter a new world that he'd never known before—all by himself. He'd always hoped—_prayed_—that somehow he wouldn't have to face that stage of his life all by himself. He wished so hard everyday that, somehow, Serena would be by his side through it all. Now it seemed like his wishes were coming true.

Serena, on the other hand, was thoroughly confused about the whole thing. Of course she had always known that Rose was a witch—that sort of information was way too big to keep secret—but she had no idea that there was a whole school for witches and wizards out there. No one had ever mentioned that such a thing existed, not even Darien. And now, as she sat on the couch in the den in her home, her eyes twinkled in excitement as Shane told her and Darien all about Hogwarts. She gripped a pillow in her lap, hanging on the Shane's every word.

"…And we will all go to Diagon Alley, of course, to purchase your school supplies," he babbled to the two preteens. "And we need to get all of that started if we want to be ready by the beginning of the term. Oh, you will both love it there, honestly. The grounds are so beautiful and you'll meet so many—"

"That's enough Shane," Damien interrupted from where he stood behind the couch. "I would appreciate it if you could stop getting my daughter's hopes up about all this."

Serena's stomach began to twist into knots. Surely he couldn't mean… "Daddy?" she questioned.

"You are not going to Hogwarts, Serenity."

Suddenly the atmosphere in the room changed from very joyous to extremely tense. Serena felt like her heart stopped beating. She had been so excited, but now…

"No." Everyone's eyes moved form Damien's rigid frame to Darien. Darien could not recall any other instance when he had disagreed with his father, but this was something personal for him. "Father, you must let Serena go."

Damien gave his son a blank look. "Darien, you disappoint me. You have never spoken against me before."

"That's because I never opposed a decision you made this strongly. Father,_ please_. You must allow Serena to go to Hogwarts."

"I don't see why she can't," said Shane. "She's already been accepted."

"She's fragile," Damien answered. "I don't feel comfortable letting her go somewhere I can't keep my eye on her."

"Daddy!" Serena exclaimed, her grip on the pillow tightening. "I really wish you wouldn't talk about me as if I was a thing. I'm a person, Daddy, and a witch, too. I deserve to be allowed to go. You can't keep me here forever." Damien did not look like he was absorbing anything Serena had just said, so Serena turned to her mother in desperation. "Mommy! Please!"

Rose gave her daughter a soft smile. "Serena, dear, I—"

That's when Serena did it—the face that Rose could never resist. She pouted her lips out in a frown and somehow forced her baby blue eyes to the verge of tears. "Mommy…" she whined.

"Well—um… Well…" Rose tried hard to look at anything besides her daughter. Her eyes fell on Shane and Contessa who were sitting on a loveseat on the verge of laughing out loud at the situation. She looked at her husband who was giving her a deadly look. His face seemed to say: _Don't you ruin this…_ Darien was looking straight at her, as well, with a hopeful expression that seemed to say: _Please, please, ruin this… _and finally, her eyes landed on Serena, who had two tears sliding down her cheeks. Rose had no control over what she said next. "Oh, sweetie, of course you can go to school."

Immediately, Serena and Darien high-fived each other, any trace of her tears long gone. Shane and Contessa applauded Serena's wonderful acting. Damien, on the other hand, looked like a volcano that was about to erupt.

"Rose, may I speak to you in private?" Damien managed to grumble out through his clenched teeth before practically dragging his wife out of the room. Darien, noticing his parent's not so stealthy exit, followed them.

"Rosie, what were you thinking?!" Darien heard his father say.

"Damien, be a little open minded and consider Serena's feelings. She's so excited about going. Can't you see that it makes her happy? Are you really willing to take all of that happiness away from her?"

"If it keeps her safe, then yes—in a heartbeat. There's no way we can keep an eye on her, Rose. What if something happens to her?"

"Have you forgotten that I will be there too?" Darien said, finally making presence known. "Don't you know that I care about her just as much as the both you do? I will do everything I can to keep her safe, believe me."

"Darien…" Damien sighed. "I wouldn't want you to have all that pressure. Besides, you've got yourself to worry about with your medicine and everything."

"Please, Father. Serena and I have never been separated from each other. Don't start it now."

Damien stared at his son's pleading face, and his heart mad his decision for him. "Fine, she can go. But Darien, you must send letters weekly about her condition, and your own. If either of you feel like you can't handle it I will come to retrieve you both."

"Of course, Father," said Darien. "Thank you for understanding."

"Wonderful," exclaimed Rose. "Now let's rejoin our guests in the den, shall we?"

The group reentered the den to the sound of Serena excitedly talking to Shane and Contessa. "Oh, so you're owl animagus! Will you teach me how to do it? I've always wanted to be a bunny."

"Maybe one day, Serena. It's very difficult to learn. Maybe after a few years in school we can—"

"So the trio has returned," interrupted Shane. "What's the final verdict?"

All eyes were on Damien. He sighed deeply. "She can go."

"Splendid," said Shane with a huge grin on his face. "Well then it's settled. Tomorrow morning we'll go to Diagon Alley to get school supplies."

"Really?" asked Serena, a curious look on her face. "So soon?"

"Well of course," replied Shane. "If we want to be ready by term we need to get a move on, now don't we?"

* * *

Number of Words: 2,528

_October 8, 2007_


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